Ukraine war - live: ‘Drone attack’ on Crimea bridge hits critical supply line as Putin ends grain deal

A “drone attack” on the Crimean Bridge has damaged the critical Russian supply line as Vladimir Putin has ended the Black Sea grain export deal.

Three Ukrainian media outlets quoted unnamed sources as saying Ukraine’s domestic security agency and navy were behind Monday’s incident on the Crimean Bridge, adding that they had used sea-borne drones to attack it.

While Russia’s Investigative Committee said Kyiv was behind the “attack” and opened a terrorism case, Ukraine has not officially confirmed nor denied involvement and its military has suggested Moscow could be responsible.

Officials declared an “emergency situation” in the early hours of Monday and closed roads leading to the Kerch Bridge linking Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which is a major supply artery for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and was previously bombed in October.

A 14-year-old girl, Angelina, was seriously injured after multiple reports of explosions on the bridge, while her parents, Alexei and Nataliya, both died.

It came as Russia said it will suspend the pact that has allowed the safe Black Sea export of grain from Ukraine later today.

Key Points

• Two 3am attacks on Crimean bridge, traffic suspended

• Parents killed in Crimea bridge attack and child suffers injuries, Russia says

• Map shows damaged Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait

• Why the expiry of the Black Sea grain deal matters

• Russia moves to ban iPhones for government officials over US spying fears

EU condemns Russia ending Ukraine grain deal as ‘cynical move'

15:05 , Tara Cobham

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called Russia's decision to suspend a Black Sea grain export deal a "cynical move", adding that the EU would continue to work towards ensuring food security for poor countries.

Russia said it had halted participation in a landmark UN-brokered deal that allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported through the Black Sea just hours after Moscow said Ukraine had attacked the Crimean Bridge. Prices for grains and oilseeds have already risen in response to news that Russia will suspend its participation in the deal.

"I strongly condemn Russia’s cynical move to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite UN & Turkiye’s efforts. EU is working to ensure food security for the world’s vulnerable. EU Solidarity Lanes will continue bringing agrifood products out of Ukraine & to global markets," von der Leyen said in a Tweet.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said Moscow's decision was unjustified and was using food as a weapon in the conflict with Ukraine.

"This is something very serious that will create a lot of troubles for many people around the world," Borrell told reporters on entering a summit with countries of South and Central America. "I have to blame Russia for this decision. (It is) completely unjustified, weaponising the hunger of the people.”

Ukraine is a major producer of grains and oilseeds and the interruption to its exports at the outbreak of war pushed global food prices to record highs. The deal, agreed in July 2022 some five months after the war started, helped to bring down prices and ease a global food crisis.

Ukrainian Ministry of Defence’s Twitter trolls Putin

18:30 , Matt Drake

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry tweeted just hours after explosions damaging a bridge linking Russia and Crimea.

Crimea is a popular holiday destination for Russians despite it being seized from Ukraine.

The ministry Tweeted: "The number of potential «domestic» summer tourist destinations for russians is falling. With alarming regularity."

Ukrainian troops storm Russian forces with machine guns and grenade launchers

17:57 , Matt Drake

Footage has emerged showing a group of Ukrainian soldiers in a military vehicle before they get out and can be seen taking up their positions with their guns raised.

Explosions can be heard in the background while the soldier filming liaises with his comrades before heading off through undergrowth.

Machine gun fire can be heard in the background before one of his colleagues appear to fire a grenade launcher.

The soldier filming can then be seen advancing and opening fire to provide cover for a colleague.

A second Ukrainian soldier advances and joins the first soldier before the soldier filming does the same.

He then continues to advance while opening fire and liaising with command before apparently throwing a grenade.

Gunfire is then heard nearby, with the Ukrainian soldier returning fire, shooting into the undergrowth.

The soldier can then be seen loading a fresh magazine into his assault rifle as the footage ends.

The images were obtained from the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along with a statement saying: “Hard and painstaking work to liberate our territories.”

Foreign Secretary has condemned Russia over grain initiative

17:21 , Matt Drake

In a statement, James Cleverly said: “The United Kingdom condemns in the strongest terms Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

“Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine has obstructed the free flow of grain and other foodstuffs through the Black Sea, causing worldwide suffering. We urge Russia to rejoin the initiative, which was developed by the UN in 2022, and allow the unimpeded export of grain.

“While exports of grain from Ukraine are restricted, Russian exports of food are at higher levels than before the invasion.

“We have always been clear that the target of our sanctions is Russia’s war machine and not the food and fertiliser sectors. Contrary to Russian claims, the UN and other partners have taken significant steps to ensure that Russian food is able to access world markets.

“The best way for Russia to address concerns around global food security would be for it to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and end the war.”

The Foreign Secretary has condemned Russia, after it halted a deal allowing grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Analysis | What the Crimea bridge attack means for Ukraine’s counteroffensive

16:57 , Andy Gregory

In this Independent Voices piece, our world affairs editor Kim Sengupta writes:

The latest attack on the Kerch bridge came just weeks after Putin claimed that Ukrainian forces were suffering “catastrophic” losses in the ongoing counteroffensive by Volodymyr Zelensky’s government and he could order the seizure of more land to protect Russia’s frontiers. “We will have to consider creating a sanitary zone in Ukraine to prevent it from striking our territory”, he warned.

The blast on the bridge shows that even if a new “sanitary zone” is established, it is unlikely to be enough to stop Ukraine – armed with modern Western drones, missiles and artillery – from inflicting destruction inside Russia.

It is far from certain that Ukraine will get Crimea back. But, with the current offensive grinding on, with limited and slow reclaiming of territory, the Kerch attack is a potent symbol and morale-boosting action.

What the Crimea bridge attack means for Ukraine’s counteroffensive | Kim Sengupta

Watch: Trump reveals plan after claiming he would end Ukraine war 'in 24 hours'

16:10 , Tara Cobham

Ukraine wants use of Black Sea grain corridor to continue

15:55 , Tara Cobham

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday everything must be done so that the Black Sea grain export corridor continues to be used after Russia halted its participation, his spokesperson said.

"Even without the Russian Federation, everything must be done so that we can use this Black Sea corridor. We are not afraid," spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov quoted Zelenskiy as saying. "We were approached by companies, ship-owners. They said that they are ready, if Ukraine lets them go, and Turkey continues to let them through, then everyone is ready to continue supplying grain."

Zelenskiy said Ukraine had two agreements on grain exports - one with Turkey and the United Nations, and the other with Russia, Turkey and the United Nations. He ordered Ukraine's foreign ministry to prepare an official note to the UN and Turkey on whether they would be ready to continue with the initiative.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who is in New York this week to participate in a UN security council meeting, urged Russia to stop "playing hunger games."

"The immediate outcome of non-extension of the agreement will mean that prices for grain all across the globe will go up, and people in the most vulnerable regions of Asia, Africa, they will feel it, and this is the result of Russian actions," Kuleba said in an interview with CBS Mornings. "So Russia is using hunger as an instrument to blackmail the world, pursuing its own commercial interest. Stop playing hunger games."

Russia ending grain deal ‘will harm millions’, warns White House

15:40 , Tara Cobham

Russia's suspension of a pact that has allowed the Black Sea export of grain from Ukraine "will worsen food security and harm millions," the White House said on Monday.

"We urge the Government of Russia to immediately reverse its decision,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge said in a statement.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, described Moscow’s decision as an “act of cruelty” on Monday.

“Russia has dealt another blow to the world’s most vulnerable, this time by suspending its participation in the Black Sea grain initiative. This is really another act of cruelty,” she told reporters.

‘Russian decision on grain deal is final’ - state news agency quotes official

15:37 , Tara Cobham

Russia's decision not to extend the Black Sea grain deal is final and no more talks are planned, state news agency TASS quoted a senior Russian official at the United Nations as saying on Monday.

End to grain deal ‘risks holding global food security at ransom’, says IRC President

15:21 , Tara Cobham

The President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has said the expiration of the Black Sea grain export deal “risks holding global food security at ransom”.

David Miliband said: “The IRC is deeply alarmed at Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, putting the future of the grain exports from the region at risk - a decision which will be most painfully felt by the 349 million people around the world facing food insecurity today. From Ukraine to Somalia, IRC’s clients are facing the ripple effects on food and energy prices of 500 days of war. The expiration of the deal risks holding global food security at ransom.”

Watch live: UN Secretary-General gives update on grain exports in the Black Sea

15:11 , Tara Cobham

Live: UN Secretary-General gives update on grain exports in the Black Sea

Watch live: Final grain ship arrives in Turkey after Russia pulls out of Ukraine deal

15:00 , Tara Cobham

Watch live: Final grain ship arrives in Turkey after Russia pulls out of Ukraine deal

Why the Crimea bridge attack will get under Putin’s skin

14:51 , Tara Cobham

A pre-dawn deadly assault on the Kerch Bridge is the second such attack in just nine months. As Ukraine pushes ahead with a summer counteroffensive, it amounts to a personal jab at Vladimir Putin, who has often boasted about its construction.

The 12-mile rail and road structure – the longest in Europe – was a £2.7 billion prestige project opened by Mr Putin five years ago. It links the Russian mainland and occupied Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. When it was opened, Mr Putin boasted that Russian Tsars had dreamed of building this “miracle” but never succeeded. Russian state media hailed it as the “construction of the century”.

Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, the bridge has morphed into a military supply lifeline for Moscow’s men on the battlefield. In the summer it is also gridlocked with Russian tourists wanting to holiday in Crimea – a popular holiday destination, despite the war rumbling mere miles away.

In Ukraine, the bridge has become a focus of anger as a symbol of Russia’s long-standing efforts to take Ukrainian territory and to ‘Russify’ the territory.

Losing the bridge would undermine Russia’s supply lines and potentially cut off tens of thousands of Russian holidaymakers in Crimea from the mainland.

Bel Trew reports:

Why the Crimea bridge attack will get under Putin’s skin

Why the expiry of the Black Sea grain deal matters

13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A deal allowing Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea will expire at the end of Monday after Russia said it will suspend its participation.

The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, aimed to alleviate a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain blocked by the Russia-Ukraine conflict to be exported safely.

Why is the deal important?

Ukraine is a major producer of grains and oilseeds and the interruption to its exports at the outbreak of war pushed global food prices to record highs. The deal, agreed in July 2022 some five months after the war started, helped to bring down prices and ease a global food crisis.

Read more here:

Why the expiry of the Black Sea grain deal matters

Russian officials sanctioned over ‘chilling’ deportations of Ukrainian children

13:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian officials are being hit by British sanctions over president Vladimir Putin’s “chilling” forced deportations of Ukrainian children.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced 14 new asset bans and travel freezes against Russians deemed to have played a role in trying to erase Ukrainian national identity.

Some 19,000 children have been forcibly deported to Russia or territories controlled by Moscow during the invasion, Ukrainian figures suggest.

Many are sent to “re-education” camps where they are reported to be exposed to a programme of cultural, patriotic and military education drawn up by Russia.

Mr Cleverly said: “In his chilling programme of forced child deportation, and the hate-filled propaganda spewed by his lackeys, we see Putin’s true intention - to wipe Ukraine from the map.

“Today’s sanctions hold those who prop up Putin’s regime to account, including those who would see Ukraine destroyed, its national identity dissolved, and its future erased.”

Among the officials targeted are Russian education minister Sergei Kravtsov and Moscow’s children’s rights commissioner Ksenia Mishonova.

Meanwhile, Mr Cleverly was to use a speech at the UN Security Council in New York to demand that the Kremlin renews its Black Sea grain deal after suspending the agreement.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Fundamentally, if Russia does not extend the deal, they will be robbing millions of people of access to vital grain and causing suffering across the globe.”

Papal envoy to visit Washington to talk Ukraine peace

12:52 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, tasked by Pope Francis to help bring peace to Ukraine, was heading to Washington on Monday to meet U.S. officials as a follow up to his talks in Kyiv and Moscow, the Vatican said.

A statement said he would be there for three days but did not say who he would be meeting.

The visit is aimed at promoting peace in Ukraine and supporting “humanitarian initiatives to alleviate the suffering of people who have been hit the hardest and the most fragile, in particular children,” the statement said.

Last month, Zuppi visited Moscow, where he met with the head of Russia‘s influential Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, and with Russia‘s Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova.

Earlier in June, he visited Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Zelenskiy, who met the pope in May, has asked the Vatican to back his unconditional peace plan, which calls for restoring Ukraine‘s territorial integrity, the withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities, and the restoration of Ukraine‘s state borders.

The Vatican statement’s mention of humanitarian initiatives and children appeared to be a reference to Kyiv’s request - and the Vatican’s willingness - to help with the repatriation of Ukrainian children.

Kyiv estimates nearly 19,500 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since February 2022, in what it condemns as illegal deportations.

Zuppi said earlier this month that he was working on a “mechanism” that could ensure the return of the children.

Turkish and Russian foreign ministers to discuss grain deal, Erdogan says

12:33 , Tara Cobham

The Turkish and Russian foreign ministers will discuss the Black Sea grain deal on Monday, President Tayyip Erdogan said, adding that he hoped for progress on the issue after Moscow said it was suspending its participation.

"I hope that with this discussion, we can make some progress and continue on our way without a pause," Erdogan said, speaking to reporters shortly after Moscow said it was halted its participation in the deal.

Erdogan said he may also speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin before they meet in person in August.

Russia moves to ban iPhones for government officials over US spying fears

12:00 , Tara Cobham

Russia is set to ban iPhones for government officials and state employees after accusing Apple of helping the US government conduct espionage operations.

Government officials at Russia’s trade ministry will be banned from using iPhones and other Apple products for “work purposes” from July 17, the Financial Times reported.

The trade ministry’s ban includes emailed correspondence relating to work activities, said its deputy head Vasily Osmako.

The digital development ministry said it will follow suit, while state-owned company Rostec, which is under Western sanctions, said it has already introduced a ban on Apple products.

Martha McHardy reports:

Russia moves to ban iPhones for government officials over US spying fears

Map: Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait

11:45 , Tara Cobham

UK sanctions Russians involved in relocating Ukrainian children

11:39 , Tara Cobham

The British government said on Monday it had introduced new sanctions, including against Russian education minister Sergey Kravtsov, related to what it describes as Moscow's forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

Britain sanctioned 14 people in response to "Russia's attempts to destroy Ukrainian national identity", 11 of whom it said were involved in the forceable relocation of children.

"In his chilling programme of forced child deportation, and the hate-filled propaganda spewed by his lackeys, we see Putin’s true intention - to wipe Ukraine from the map," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement. "Today’s sanctions hold those who prop up Putin’s regime to account, including those who would see Ukraine destroyed, its national identity dissolved, and its future erased."

Russian culture minister Olga Lyubimova was sanctioned for providing support for an promoting policies and actions which "destabilise Ukraine or threaten the territorial integrity", Britain said.

Earlier this month Russia said it had brought some 700,000 children from the conflict zones in Ukraine into Russian territory. Moscow says its programme of bringing children from Ukraine into Russian territory is to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.

However, Ukraine says many children have been illegally deported and the United States says thousands of children have been forcibly removed from their homes. Ukraine's Ministry of Integration of Occupied Territories has said 19,492 Ukrainian children are currently considered illegally deported.

‘Illegal designs to deliver Russian instruments of mass murder are short-lived’ - Zelenskyy adviser

11:34 , Tara Cobham

The Adviser to the Head of the Office of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “any illegal designs used to deliver Russian instruments of mass murder are short-lived”.

In his post on social media, Mykhailo Podolyak added: “Regardless of the reasons for the destruction.”

It is unclear whether he is referring to the Crimea bridge incident.

Parents killed and daughter injured are all named

11:29 , Tara Cobham

The Russian couple who were killed and their 14-year-old daughter who was wounded as they drove across the Crimean Bridge have been named.

Alexei and Nataliya were driving with their daughter Angelina in the early hours of Monday for what they hoped would be a family holiday on Crimea's Black Sea coast.

It was not immediately clear how the bridge, one of President Vladimir Putin's prestige projects, was attacked but video posted on social media showed the family's car smashed, with bloodied bodies contorted and silent.

As other drivers try to give assistance, a girl can be heard crying and whimpering.

Blood seeps from the door into a puddle on the road as one of the other drivers implores the girl to keep still.

Everything to know about the Crimean bridge as critical Russian supply line attacked

11:25 , Tara Cobham

Two people were killed and their teenaged daughter wounded in an attack on the Crimean Bridge – connecting the Russian mainland to the peninsula.

The bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, is a major artery for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and a prestige project personally opened by President Vladimir Putin. The bridge had had only recently returned to full operation after suffering severe damage in a similar attack last October.

Traffic along the 19km-long road and rail bridge was halted for six hours, following reports of multiple explosions at around 3am this morning.

Maanya Sachdeva reports on everything we know about today’s attack on the Crimean Bridge and its importance to Moscow:

Everything to know about the Crimean Bridge – as vital Russian supply line attacked

Ukraine is closely following aftermath of attack, says security service

11:20 , Tara Cobham

A spokesperson from Ukraine's security service (SBU) has said they are closely following the aftermath of the attack.

In a written comment to the AFP news agency, Artem Dekhtiarenko said "we are watching with interest as one of the symbols of Putin's regime once again failed to withstand the military load".

Russia halts grain deal but says no link to bridge attack it blames on Ukraine

11:04 , Tara Cobham

Russia said on Monday that it had halted participation in a landmark UN-brokered deal which allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported through the Black Sea just hours after Moscow said Ukraine had attacked the Crimean Bridge.

The Kremlin said the halting of the Black Sea grain deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to combat a global food crisis worsened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had nothing to do with the bridge attack.

"In fact, the Black Sea agreements ceased to be valid today," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "Unfortunately, the part of these Black Sea agreements concerning Russia has not been implemented so far, so its effect is terminated."

Russia has notified Turkey, Ukraine and the UN that Moscow is against extending the deal, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry, said.

The Chicago Board of Trade's most active wheat contract was up 3.4% at $6.84 a bushel by 0910 GMT after earlier rising over 4%.

Russia and Ukraine are two of the world's top agricultural producers, and major players in the wheat, barley, maize, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed and sunflower oil markets. Russia is also dominant in the fertiliser market.

Crimean Bridge badly damaged after ‘multiple blasts’ in early hours

10:32 , Tara Cobham

The Crimean Bridge has been badly damaged after reports of explosions on the road between Crimea and Russia’s mainland.

Officials in Crimea have said that the damage was caused by a Ukrainian attack.

Footage shows a section of the bridge that detached from the rest of the road.

The Kerch bridge is a major supply artery for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and a prestige project that was personally opened by President Vladimir Putin.

Two parents were killed and their daughter was being treated in intensive care, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region said in a message on the Telegram messaging app.

Holly Patrick reports:

Crimean Bridge badly damaged after ‘multiple blasts’ in early hours

Russian investigators shown working at scene of damaged Crimean bridge in video

10:16 , Tara Cobham

Russian investigators were shown working at the scene of an overnight incident that damaged the Crimean bridge in video posted by Russia’s Investigative Committee on Monday.

The video appeared to show that a section of road had split and was sloping towards the sea. Debris was scattered across the road surface.

Russia said two people had been killed and one person wounded in the attack, which it blamed on Ukrainian special services.

Senior politician says Russia should not renew grain deal after Crimea Bridge incident

09:55 , Tara Cobham

A senior Russian politician said on Monday that Russia should not renew the Black Sea grain deal in light of an attack on the bridge linking Russia to Crimea.

Details were unclear but some Russian politicians were quick to blame Ukraine for blasts on the Crimean Bridge in what Russian officials called an emergency incident. There was no immediate comment from the Ukrainian government.

Sergei Mironov, leader of the A Just Russia party in Russia's parliament, said Moscow should respond by destroying Ukrainian infrastructure. "That is what we need to do, and not discuss a grain deal that helps Kyiv's rulers and their Western masters line their pockets. There can be no grain deal after another terrorist attack," he said on Telegram.

Russia agreed a year ago to sign the Black Sea grain deal which allowed Ukraine to resume shipping food from its southern ports despite the war. But it has repeatedly cast doubt on whether it will agreed to extend the arrangement, which expires on Monday.

The Kremlin has yet to comment on the Crimean Bridge incident or its possible implications for the grain deal.

In Pictures: Crimean Bridge and its reported damage

09:20 , Tara Cobham

Russia accuses Britain of supporting ‘terrorist’ Ukraine ‘attack’ on Crimea bridge

09:02 , Tara Cobham

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Monday accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on the bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, with the involvement of Britain and the United States.

Zakharova did not provide evidence to support the assertions.

"Today's attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out by the Kyiv regime. This regime is terrorist and has all the hallmarks of an international organized crime group," she said.

"Decisions are made by Ukrainian officials and the military with the direct participation of American and British intelligence agencies and politicians. The U.S. and Britain are in charge of a terrorist state structure."

Girl injured in Crimea Bridge incident in intensive care

08:45 , Tara Cobham

A girl who was injured in an incident on the Crimea Bridge is in intensive care in a hospital in the Russian city of Temryuk, RIA Novosti quoted the hospital's representatives as saying on Monday.

Her parents were killed in the incident, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region previously said in a message on the Telegram messaging app.

“The girl was injured,” he said. “The hardest thing is that her parents died, dad and mum.”

“No words can calm the pain of loss here,” he said.

Russian official says Ukraine behind Crimea bridge incident - RIA

08:22 , Tara Cobham

The Russian-installed head of Crimea’s parliament said on Monday that Ukraine was behind an incident on the Crimea bridge which killed two people earlier, the state RIA news agency reported.

He was quoted as saying that the bridge had been attacked by what he called Ukraine‘s “terrorist regime” and that the railway part of the bridge was not damaged.

Crimea Bridge incident could be Moscow's provocation - Ukraine's military

07:29 , Tara Cobham

The incident on the Crimea Bridge could be an act of provocation on Moscow's side, Natalia Humeniuk, the spokesperson for Ukraine's southern military command, said on Monday.

"The creation of such provocations, which the occupying authorities of Crimea report immediately very loudly, is a typical way of solving problems by authorities of Crimea and the aggressor country," Humeniuk told the national broadcaster Rada.

The Crimea Bridge, which connects the peninsula to Russia and is a key supply line for Russian troops in Ukraine, was damaged in an "emergency" situation which killed two people and injured a child, Russian officials said on Monday.

Kerch Bridge attack: What do we know so far

07:15 , Arpan Rai

• The traffic on the key bridge connecting Crimea to Russia’s mainland has been halted amid reports of explosions.

• Two killed, one injured in explosions around 3am

• The governor of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, announced the closure early Monday but did not specify the reason.

• News reports said local residents heard explosions before dawn, but there was no confirmation.

• The 19kms (12-mile) bridge that was opened in 2018 is the main land connection between Russia and the Crimean peninsula.

Read more about the attack here:

Traffic on key bridge connecting Crimea to Russia's mainland halted amid reports of explosions

How Kerch bridge attack leaves Putin with limited supply lines for his troops

06:53 , Arpan Rai

Any serious damage to the Kerch Bridge will significantly impair Russian supply lines of military equipment and munitions for its troops fighting in Ukraine, experts have warned.

George Barros, an analyst at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, said if the Kerch Bridge is damaged it will leave Russia with just a singular supply point, calling it a “logistically significant object”.

“Russia will only have one ground supply line – the coastal highway on the Sea of Azov – to sustain (or evacuate) its tens of thousands of troops in occupied Kherson and Crimea if UKR [Ukraine] manages to degrade/destroy the bridge,” Mr Barros said.

Kerch Bridge saw heavy holiday traffic despite being a sensitive target

06:21 , Arpan Rai

The Crimean peninsula has been a major and cherished holiday destination for Russians, especially after Moscow launched its invasion on Ukraine in 2022 and travelling to the West became more difficult for many.

In recent weeks, traffic jams to the entrance of the bridge stretched for kilometres on a daily basis as Russians went on holidays.

Vladimir Putin ally Arkady Rotenberg’s company built the vast structure, which is Europe’s longest bridge. Mr Putin has long lauded the project, boasting at one point that Russian Tsars and Soviet leaders had dreamed of building it but never did.

This morning, the traffic jam ran for kilometres before police directed vehicles away from the bridge. Social media accounts showed cars lined up on the bridge and its entrance.

The Russian-backed administration of the Crimean peninsula urged residents not to travel via the bridge.

The Kerch Bridge was previously damaged by an explosion last October, in an attack that the Kremlin said had been orchestrated by Ukrainian security forces. Ukraine admitted only indirectly to the attack months later.

No traffic currently using Crimean bridge

06:10 , Arpan Rai

People are not using the Kerch Bridge today and no traffic is currently present on the flyover, according to a video by Reuters.

The video showed the scene this morning on the bridge connecting Russia and the annexed Crimean peninsula after local officials declared an “emergency”.

The Crimean Bridge was damaged by an explosion last October, in an attack that the Kremlin said had been orchestrated by Ukrainian security forces. Ukraine admitted only indirectly to the attack months later.

Ferry service disrupted at Crimea Bridge as crowd gathers – report

05:48 , Arpan Rai

Police officials at the Crimea Bridge warned drivers in the early hours today that the ferry service at the bridge was not working, Russia’s RIA state news agency reported.

This comes as videos shared on social media showed traffic jam near the bridge as police official on the spot tell them to “take the ferry or go home”.

Russia-backed officials are also trying to assure the locals that the peninsular region is fully stockpiled with fuel, food and industrial goods and local warehouses have all the necessary stockpiles to avert any crisis-like situation.

Parents killed in Crimea bridge attack and child suffers injuries, Russia says

05:36 , Arpan Rai

At least two people have died in the explosions on Crimea’s Kerch Bridge this morning, Russian officials said.

A family of three – a couple and their daughter – were travelling across the bridge when the incident took place.

“We all saw with you on a video on the internet [of] a damaged car with Belgorod numbers. What information is available at the moment: a girl was injured,” said Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region in southern Russia.

“The hardest thing is that her parents died, her dad and mum.”

Trump says he would tell Zelensky to 'make a deal'

05:29 , Arpan Rai

Donald Trump has again offered his insight on how the war can be ended in Ukraine, claiming that he knows the Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky very well.

“These are smart people, including Macron of France. I could go through the whole list of people, including Putin.… These people are sharp, tough and generally vicious. They’re vicious, and they’re at the top of their game. We have a man that has no clue what’s happening. It’s the most dangerous time in the history of our country,” the former US president told Fox News.

On being asked about his claims to “end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours” and response to the situation, Mr Trump added: “I know Zelensky very well. I felt he was very honourable because when they asked him about the perfect phone call that I made, he said it was indeed, he said it was.”

“He didn’t even know what they were talking about. He could have grandstanded...,” he said.

“I know Zelensky very well, and I know Putin very well, even better. And I had a good relationship, very good with both of them. I would tell Zelensky, no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell Putin, if you don’t make a deal, we’re going to give him a lot. We’re going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day. One day,” he said.

Why is Kerch bridge important for Russia in war with Ukraine

05:16 , Arpan Rai

The Kerch Bridge has been a sensitive and potentially strategic target ever since the start of the Ukraine war, with at least one previous successful attack and several reported attempts taking place.

The bridge is crucial for the supply of fuel, food and other products to Crimea, where the port of Sevastopol is the historic home base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

It also became a major supply route for Russian forces deeper in Ukraine after Moscow invaded its neighbour last February, sending forces from Crimea to seize most of southern Ukraine’s Kherson region and some of the adjoining Zaporizhzhia province.

The 19km (12 mile) bridge, also known as the Crimea Bridge or the Kerch Strait Bridge, is the only direct land link between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Two 3am attacks on Crimean bridge, traffic suspended

04:52 , Arpan Rai

At least two missile strikes have been reported on the Kerch Bridge, at 3.04am and 3.20am, by Russia’s Grey Zone channel, a heavily followed Telegram channel affiliated with the Wagner mercenary group.

The Independent has not verified these reports.

Russia-backed governor Sergei Aksyonov and the governor of the Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev, said they have set up operational headquarters in their regions to address the “emergency situation” on the bridge.

Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Odesa military administration, posted a photo on his Telegram of what seemed to be the outline of the bridge in the distance, broken in the middle.

It was not immediately clear what the incident on the bridge would mean for the UN-brokered deal that allows the safe Black Sea export of Ukrainian grain. The deal is due to expire today and was still in limbo as of Sunday night.

Second attempt to strike Kerch Bridge in 10 days leaves it damaged

04:44 , Arpan Rai

Less than 10 days ago, Russian-installed authorities in the Crimean peninsula confirmed a cruise missile was shot down near the city of Kerch, briefly suspending the traffic on the flyover connecting the annexed region to Russia.

The interception of the missile by Russian air defences didn’t result in any damage or casualties, the Moscow-appointed governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, had said.

Officials in Russian regions and Moscow-appointed authorities in Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014, have regularly reported explosions, drone strikes, and even cross-border raids by Ukrainian saboteurs. Kyiv has never openly taken responsibility for these attacks.

Russia reports intercepting a missile over annexed Crimea and briefly halts traffic on key bridge

Residents asked not to travel on Crimean Bridge amid ‘emergency'

03:58 , Arpan Rai

Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov asked people to refrain from travelling on the Crimean Bridge connecting the peninsula to Russia this morning, after reporting earlier an “emergency situation” on the bridge.

The RBC-Ukraine news agency had earlier reported that explosions were heard on the bridge.

Traffic was stopped at the Russian-built Crimean Bridge linking the Crimean peninsula to the Russian region of Krasnodar due to “an emergency” situation, Mr Aksyonov wrote on Telegram earlier today.

He did not provide any further detail.

Moscow takes shares of Danone and Carlsberg subsidiaries

03:00 , Holly Hales

Russia has seized control of French yoghurt maker Danone’s subsidiary in the country along with beer maker Carlsberg’s stake in a local brewer.

The insight was confirmed in a decree signed by Putin on Sunday.

In the memo, Danone Russia and Baltika Breweries were said to be put under “temporary management” of government property agency Rosimushchestvo.

Wagner fighters arrive in Central African Republic

01:30 , Holly Hales

Hundreds of “experienced” Wagner fighters have arrived in the Central African Republic to secure a referendum, according to a Russian private security company.

The Officers’ Union for International Security (OUIS) on Telegram on Sunday: “Another plane has arrived in Bangui with instructors to work in the Central African Republic [CAR].”

The arrival is in anticipation of the constitutional referendum scheduled for 30 July.

OUIS is a front company for the Wagner Group in CAR, according to the United States.

It is believed to be run by Russian Alexandre Ivanov, who was sanctioned by the in January.

Russia’s security woes after Wagner mutiny

Monday 17 July 2023 00:30 , Holly Hales

The UK’s Ministry of Defence has said Russia’s security apparatus entered a period of negotiation after the Wagner Group mutiny.

It also claimed an interim arrangement for the future of the group had started to form.

The ministry explained its analysis posted on Sunday.

“On 12 July 2023, the Russian MoD announced that Wagner had handed over 2000 pieces of military equipment, including tanks. As of 15 July 2023, at least a small contingent of Wagner fighters have arrived at a camp in Belarus,” the post read.

“Concurrently, some Wagner-associated social media groups have resumed activity, with a focus on highlighting the group’s activities in Africa.

“Based on recent announcements by Russian officials, the state is likely prepared to accept Wagner’s aspirations to maintain its extensive presence on the continent.”

Zelenskyy pays tribute to Ukraine’s sovereignty anniversary

Sunday 16 July 2023 23:30 , Holly Hales

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has marked the 33rd anniversary of the Declaration of the Soverign State of Ukraine.

The Ukraine President made the acknowledgement in his nightly address and detailed the events of 16 July 1990.

On the date, a document decreed Ukraine would have its own laws separate from the former USSR along with its own army, currency and bank.

He went on to say the country “will never give up its sovereignty”.

“Whatever the Russian terror may be Ukrainian freedom will still be preserved and will still prevail,” he added. “Every year Ukraine will get stronger,” Mr Zelenskyy said.

Underwater drones used in Crimea attack as Putin threatens ‘reciprocal action’

Sunday 16 July 2023 22:33 , Holly Hales

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had prevented Ukraine from attacking the Black Sea port of Sevastopol on Sunday, destroying seven aerial and two underwater drones.

“This morning, an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack by seven unmanned aerial vehicles and two unmanned underwater vehicles on objects on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula near the city of Sevastopol was thwarted,” the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.

There were no casualties and no damage, the ministry added.

It said that two aerial drones were shot down over the Black Sea at a great distance from the coastline, while five were intercepted by Russia’s electronic warfare forces.

Two unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), known as underwater drones were discovered in the northern part of the Black Sea, and destroyed by fire, the ministry said.

Earlier, Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, said on the Telegram messaging app that the attacks were over the harbour of Sevastopol and the city’s Balaklava, Khersones districts.

Maritime transport, including passenger ferries, was suspended for several hours early on Sunday, the city’s Moscow-backed transport authorities said on their Telegram channel.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the attack on Sevastopol, a port in the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Sunday that Moscow has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster munitions.

He warned that the country “reserves the right to take reciprocal action” if Ukraine uses the controversial weapons.

In his first comments on the delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine from the US, Mr Putin said that Russia has not used cluster bombs in the war with Ukraine so far.

But the use of cluster bombs by both Russia and Ukraine has been widely documented, including by The Associated Press and international humanitarian organisations, and cluster rounds have been found in the aftermath of Russian strikes.

“Until now, we have not done this, we have not used it, and we have not had such a need,” Mr Putin said.

Rossiya TV reporter Pavel Zarubin published excerpts of the interview to his Telegram channel on Sunday before a scheduled broadcast on Sunday night.

Russian official says Ukraine shelled border town

Sunday 16 July 2023 22:10 , Holly Hales

Ukraine has issued no immediate comment after governor of Russia’s Belgorod region said forces had shelled the Russian town of Shebekino near the Ukrainian border with Grad missiles, killing a woman riding her bike.

The country almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia. Reuters was not able to verify what happened.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, Belgorod’s governor, said the Grad missiles had struck a market area, damaging a building and two cars.

“To much grief, one person was killed - a woman was riding a bicycle on the pavement at the time of the shelling. Injuries she received from shrapnel were incompatible with life,” Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app.

He said Ukrainian shelling of two other Belgorod settlements on Sunday caused no casualties but damaged three homes in Gorkovsky, and warehouses, a fence, a water tower and a power line at an agricultural enterprise in Ilek-Penkovka.

The Grad (Hail) weapons system is a truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher used by both Ukrainian and Russian forces. Its use against civilian areas is regarded as a war crime by human rights activists.

The town of Shebekino, about 5 km from the Ukrainian border, has been repeatedly targeted by what Russia says is indiscriminate shelling by Ukraine’s armed forces.

Kyiv has accused Russian forces of indiscriminately shelling its civilian areas too. Both sides deny targeting civilians.

Sunday 16 July 2023 21:59 , Rich Booth

The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region said on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had shelled the Russian town of Shebekino near the Ukrainian border with Grad missiles, killing a woman riding her bike.

Analysis | Ben Wallace: The former favourite for PM whose global ambitions were thwarted

Sunday 16 July 2023 17:09 , Andy Gregory

Following Ben Wallace’s revelation today that he will resign as defence secretary in the next Cabinet reshuffle – and as an MP at the next election – our world affairs editor Kim Sengupta writes that the politician had previously “made no secret that his dream job was to be the next Nato secretary general”.

“And his early and robust support for Ukraine, it was thought, would put him in a good position as Europe scrambled to be combat-ready in the face of Vladimir Putin’s invasion,” he writes.

“ ... While finding his path to Nato stopped, Wallace was also set to lose his seat of Wyre and Preston North in boundary changes. Along with that came persistent rumours that Wallace, one of the longest-serving Conservative defence secretaries, would lose his post in Rishi Sunak’s autumn reshuffle.

“With the Conservatives highly unlikely to win the next election Wallace was said to be increasingly unwilling to go through the troubles of finding another seat, only to spend years in opposition backbenches. He planned to announce during the summer recess that he would be leaving politics at the next election.”

You can read his analysis in full with Independent Premium:

Ben Wallace: Former favourite for PM whose global ambitions were thwarted

‘The world believes in Ukraine’: Zelensky issues rallying call

Sunday 16 July 2023 16:38 , Andy Gregory

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that “the world believes in Ukraine”, as he shared images of Kyiv’s soldiers in a rallying call on social media.

It comes after a week in which Mr Zelensky travelled to Vilnius for the Nato summit, where the alliance’s inability to reach a consensus on offering Ukraine membership sparked frustration in Kyiv.

Russia has used cluster bombs since ‘very beginning’ of war in Ukraine, former Zelensky aide says

Sunday 16 July 2023 16:09 , Andy Gregory

With Russia’s Vladimir Putin warning today that Moscow reserves the right to use cluster bombs in retaliation if the shipment from Washington to Kyiv is used against its troops, a former spokesperson for Volodymyr Zelensky has argued that Russia has already used such weapons in Ukraine.

The Chatham House think-tank has also accused Russia of using cluster munitions throughout its war in Ukraine, “along with landmines and thermobaric/vacuum weapons”, while accusing Ukraine of also using its own ex-Soviet stockpile of cluster bombs.

Kosovo buys Turkish drones given prominence in Ukraine war

Sunday 16 July 2023 15:11 , Andy Gregory

Kosovo has bought a batch of Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, its prime minister has said, at a time when it faces its worst violence in the north where ethnic Serbs refuse to recognise Pristina’s authority.

In a Facebook post showing him in front of a drone with his defence minister, Albin Kurti said its latest security spending was making the country safer.

He did not give the number or cost of the drones – Kosovo’s first – nor say what they would be used for.

“Kosovo is now even safer and always proud,” Mr Kurti said, adding that his government had in the last two years raised troop numbers by 80 per cent and the defence budget by more than 100 per cent.

The 15-old republic is building an army intended eventually to have 5,000 regular soldiers and 3,000 reservists. The Nato military alliance – whom Kosovo aims to join, despite four of its members not recognising its independence from Serbia – also has more than 4,500 peacekeepers in the country.

Watch: Former prisoners of war welcomed back by family in Ukraine

Sunday 16 July 2023 14:38 , Andy Gregory

Tucker Carlson and Mike Pence clash in heated exchange over Ukraine at GOP 2024 forum

Sunday 16 July 2023 14:05 , Andy Gregory

Former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson appeared to lose his patience with former vice president Mike Pence on Friday after the 2024 presidential candidate refused to back down from his support for arming Ukraine’s defence forces, reports Andrew Feinberg.

Mr Pence and Carlson, who spoke for approximately 26 minutes as part of a GOP candidate forum in Iowa, spent roughly half of their discussion sparring over Mr Pence’s view of the war, which the ex-vice president described in stark terms based on his two visits to the region.

The ex-Fox News host, who before his firing in April used his prime time programme to rail against US support for Kyiv while frequently parroting Russian government talking points, attempted to bait Mr Pence into denouncing the Ukrainian government for what he described as mistreatment of Christians.

Tucker Carlson and Mike Pence clash in heated exchange over Ukraine at GOP 2024 forum

‘Intensified’ fighting in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv ‘on the defensive’ in Kharkiv

Sunday 16 July 2023 13:54 , Andy Gregory

Fighting in eastern Ukraine has “somewhat intensified” as Ukrainian and Russian forces clash in at least three areas on the eastern front, a senior Ukrainian defence official has said.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Telegram that Russian forces have been attacking in the direction of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region for two successive days.

“We are on the defensive,” Maliar wrote. “There are fierce battles, the positions of both sides change dynamically several times a day.”

Maliar also said the two armies were pummelling one another around the ruined city of Bakhmut but that Ukrainian forces were “gradually moving forward” along its southern flank, adding that Kyiv’s troops were also fending off Russian attacks near Avdiivka and Maryinka.

Voices | What Britain needs is a ‘grown-up’ relationship with China

Sunday 16 July 2023 12:49 , Andy Gregory

Writing as China and Russia take part in joint military drills in the Sea of Japan, former Lib Dem leader Vince Cable writes for Independent Voices that, while Beijing’s “friendship without limits” with Vladimir Putin jars badly in Europe, it “is severely limited”.

You can read his thoughts on the UK’s future relationship with China here:

What Britain needs is a ‘grown-up’ relationship with China | Vince Cable

Last ship leaves Odesa ahead of deadline to extend Black Sea grain deal

Sunday 16 July 2023 12:05 , Andy Gregory

The last ship to travel under the Black Sea grain export deal has left the port of Odesa ahead of a deadline to extend the agreement, according to a Reuters witness and MarineTraffic.com.

Russia has not agreed to register any new ships since 27 June, and the initiative will expire on Monday unless Moscow agrees to extend it.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres was waiting for a response from Vladimir Putin on a proposal to extend the deal, a UN spokesperson said on Friday.

The Russian president told his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa in a phone call on Saturday that commitments to remove obstacles to Russian food and fertiliser exports had yet to be fulfilled, the Kremlin said.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on whether the ship, the Turkish-flagged TQ Samsun, had left Odesa.

Putin insists Ukraine’s counteroffensive is ‘not succeeding'

Sunday 16 July 2023 11:41 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin has claimed Ukraine’s counter-offensive is “not succeeding” and that attempts to break through Russian defences have failed – despite Kyiv’s forces having recaptured several villages and made advances in several areas, according to analysts.

Yet speaking to Russian state TV, the president claimed: “All attempts by the enemy to break through our defence ... have not been successful throughout the entire offensive.”

Russia and China to begin ‘first joint air and naval drill’ in Sea of Japan

Sunday 16 July 2023 11:02 , Andy Gregory

Russia’s naval and air forces are taking part in military drills alongside China in the Sea of Japan for the first time, according to military observers cited by Chinese state newspaper Global Times.

A Chinese naval flotilla comprised of five warships and four ship-borne helicopters set off from Qingdao on Sunday to join the Russian forces at a “predetermined area” in an exercise aimed at “safeguarding the security of strategic waterways”, China’s defence ministry said.

Codenamed “Northern/Interaction-2023”, the drill marks enhanced military cooperation between China and Russia since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Gromkiy and Sovershenniy, two Russian warships taking part in the Sea of Japan drill, had earlier this month conducted separate training with the Chinese navy in Shanghai on formation movements, communication and sea rescues.

Before making port at the financial hub of Shanghai, the same ships had sailed passed Taiwan and Japan, prompting both Taipei and Tokyo to monitor the Russian warships.

Putin issues cluster bomb threat to Kyiv

Sunday 16 July 2023 10:22 , Andy Gregory

Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster bombs and that Moscow reserves the right to use them if such munitions are used against Russian forces in Ukraine.

Ukraine has received cluster bombs from the United States, despite the weapons being banned in more than 100 countries. Kyiv has pledged to only use them to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers, as it continues its long-awaited counteroffensive.

“Of course, if they are used against us, we reserve the right to take reciprocal action,” the Russian president said in a state TV interview, excerpts of which were published on Sunday.

Ben Wallace announces he’ll quit as UK defence secretary

Sunday 16 July 2023 10:12 , Andy Gregory

Ben Wallace has revealed that he will resign his post as defence secretary at the next cabinet reshuffle, and will not seek re-election as an MP at the next election.

“I went into politics in the Scottish Parliament in 1999. That’s 24 years. I’ve spent well over seven years with three phones by my bed,” he told the Sunday Times on his desire to leave Westminster.

Mr Wallace is not going quietly, however, having become involved in a turf war with home secretary Suella Braverman about British soldiers being asked to cover for any gaps in Border Force staff this summer.

The defence secretary has refused Ms Braverman’s request for 750 troops to fill in for any immigration officials who strike or are absent, according to the Mail on Sunday – claiming that the Home Office should have made contingency plans.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more details here:

Ben Wallace in ‘parting shot at Suella Braverman’ as he announces he’ll quit

South Korea to provide more demining equipment to Ukraine

Sunday 16 July 2023 09:43 , Andy Gregory

South Korea will provide more demining equipment to Ukraine, an aide to Yoon Suk Yeol has said following the president’s visit to Kyiv, where he pledged more military and humanitarian aid in the fight against Russia.

“We are thinking to expand support on mine detectors and demining equipment as Ukraine’s demand for them was assessed to be desperately huge,” his deputy national security adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, told reporters.

Mr Yoon pledged more aid in talks with Volodymyr Zelensky during a surprise visit to Kyiv after attending the Nato summit in Vilnius, despite previously resisting Western pressure to help arm Ukraine directly, citing business ties with Russia and Moscow’s influence over North Korea.

In a press conference after the meeting on Saturday, Mr Yoon said South Korea would provide “a larger scale of military supplies” to Ukraine this year, following last year’s provision of non-lethal supplies such as body armour and helmets.

Russian shelling kills 1 in Kharkiv, injures 7 in Zaporizhzhia, say Ukrainian officials

Sunday 16 July 2023 08:58 , Andy Gregory

A civilian was killed and another wounded in Russian shelling in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, while seven were injured in a village in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials have claimed.

A 33-year-old man died and another was wounded overnight in Russian firing at residential buildings in the village of Kolodiazne, Kharkiv’s governor Oleh Sinehubov said on Telegram, accusing Moscow of launching four S-400 surface-to-air missiles at the city of Kharkiv, damaging a residential building.

Zaporizhzhia governor Yuriy Malashko alleged that three women and four men were injured and a number of houses damaged in heavy Russian shelling from multiple rocket launchers on the village of Stepnohirske on Saturday afternoon.

Over the past day, there had been 48 instances of Russian artillery firing on a number of towns and villages in the region, the governor said. Russia also shelled the city of Zaporizhzhia, damaging at least 16 buildings, secretary of the city council Anatoliy Kurtiev claimed, adding that one district was without electricity on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, a Russian-installed official in parts of Zaporizhzhia controlled by Moscow, Vladimir Rogov, claimed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had destroyed a school in the village of Stulneve, while air defence forces intercepted a drone over the city of Tokmak.

Russia’s defence ministry said on Saturday it had destroyed a number of Ukrainian weapons depots in Zaporizhzhia region over the past day. Ukraine’s top military command said Russia was trying to stop Ukraine’s advance there, heavily shelling the area. It was not possible to independently verify the claims.